


You Look Like Death

by beloved_key



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen or Pre-Slash, Insomnia, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Tea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-12 01:01:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16863280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beloved_key/pseuds/beloved_key
Summary: There were several different instances when Shiro had heard the phrase “you look like death” directed at him. Most of them had happened within the past few months, and almost exclusively at around three in the god damn morning.





	You Look Like Death

There were several different instances when Shiro had heard the phrase “you look like death” directed at him. Most of them had happened within the past few months, and almost exclusively at around three in the god damn morning (or what passed for it on the castle ship).

Shiro was safe now, he knew that. He did. But something about actually being safe flicked some kind of switch in his subconscious, which meant that the coma-like sleep he’d enjoyed after a day in the arena (back when he was in Galra custody, could die at any moment, etc.) was gone, replaced by feather-light, nightmare-ridden dozing at best, when he was in a secure alien warship, surrounded by friends and teammates who he personally trained to be able to protect themselves and him. He had quite literally never been safer in his life, but now was when his brain decided sleep was a no-go?

He also knew, of course, that psychology and PTSD didn’t work like that. It wasn’t exactly unexpected; the nightmares, the insomnia, the flashbacks the other two were oh-so-fond of triggering... That didn’t make it any less annoying, though.

So when he heard the inevitable comment, he just sighed, resigned himself to his fate, and turned around, ready to be lightly scolded and dragged back to his room, told to “at least try and rest,” and all that. Instead, he was greeted by a sympathetically smiling Lance, leaning against the training deck doorway in his robe and full facemask.

Lance was one of the only ones who had yet to encounter Shiro on one of his late-night excursions. The guy tended to sleep like a rock, and even when he didn’t, he kept to himself during these night hours. Shiro supposed that even someone as supremely extroverted as Lance valued his alone time.

“Just… Working off some extra energy.” Shiro answered, when it became clear that Lance was waiting on him to say something. The blue paladin shrugged.

“Hey, if it works. I get plenty of this place during the day, personally.” He offered.

“Then what’re you doing around here so late?” Shiro asked, deactivating the training drone and deciding reluctantly that maybe some company wouldn’t be so bad after all. At least Lance hadn’t jumped on the “go back to bed” train right off the bat.

Lance shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep. Bad dreams.” 

For a moment, Shiro wondered if maybe Lance had an ulterior motive after all, but one look in the kid’s eyes told him otherwise. Despite his nonchalant tone and stance, there was the distinct unease of a night terror dancing around Lance’s blue eyes.

“I know the feeling.” Shiro replied. Lance smirked.

“Yeah, I kinda figured you would.” He shrugged. “It happens sometimes. Nothing helps but chamomile tea, and that’s not an option, obviously. But Hunk said he thought he’d found a fair approximation on that last resupply planet. I thought I’d give it a shot. Better than just laying around in bed all night waiting for it to happen again, y’know?”

Shiro huffed a laugh. “Definitely. Mind if I join you?”

Lance smiled and gestured grandly out the door. The two wandered down the hall, making their way easily towards the kitchen, chatting idly about random stuff. Tea, not Voltron. Hot drinks vs. cold drinks, not nightmares. Beauty products, not sleep.

Funnily enough, about an hour later, Shiro found himself sleeping more soundly than he had in quite awhile. And for once, no one commented that he looked exhausted in the morning.

**Author's Note:**

> Short little drabble, hope you liked! Feel free to comment/kudos, love you!


End file.
